The Brazil-built Gripen E completed its first flight from Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto aerodrome on October 6, opening acceptance testing for a fighter produced locally under Brazil’s Saab partnership. Saab announced the milestone the following day.
According to Saab, chief test pilot Jakob Högberg took off at 10:21 local time in São Paulo state. The initial sortie checked basic aircraft functions and early flight performance. Embraer engineers planned and executed the test with Saab support.
The milestone is significant for aircraft manufacturing in Brazil, but it is not a transfer to an operational squadron. Saab said certification and the remaining production-acceptance campaign must be completed before the Brazilian Air Force receives the jet.
Table of Contents
What the Brazil-Built Gripen E Flight Actually Tested
Saab characterized the Brazil-built Gripen E flight as a production-acceptance test rather than an operational training sortie. Engineers use this part of the build process to verify that an individual aircraft behaves as expected in the air and that its systems function properly after assembly.
The Brazil-built Gripen E sortie on Oct. 6 was directed at basic system checks and an initial performance assessment, Saab said. The manufacturer did not publish a complete test-card breakdown, the aircraft’s serial number or the planned total number of acceptance flights. Those details should not be inferred from a successful first sortie.
Embraer’s role went beyond providing the runway. Saab credited Embraer flight engineers with flight planning and execution, supported by Saab personnel. The arrangement illustrates how Brazilian personnel are involved in technical tasks previously associated with the Swedish manufacturer.
How Gripen Manufacturing in Brazil Reached This Stage
The Brazil-built Gripen E belongs to a programme combining Swedish fighter design with Brazilian aircraft manufacturing. Saab said it was the first Gripen fighter produced outside Sweden under the Saab–Embraer arrangement. The jet had been publicly presented by Embraer on March 25, months before its maiden flight.
Under the current programme, 15 Gripen E aircraft are planned for production in Brazil, according to Saab. That number refers to local production within the programme; it should not be mistaken for the total Gripen acquisition by Brazil or the number already delivered to its air force.
The Gavião Peixoto production line is part of Embraer’s broader aerospace operations. Saab described it as South America’s only supersonic fighter production line and said the Brazilian operation forms part of its manufacturing and supply network. Such industrial participation is a central feature of the partnership, not merely an assembly location.
What Must Happen Before the Fighter Reaches Its Unit
After the Brazil-built Gripen E flight-test and acceptance campaign, the aircraft is to be certified for handover to the Brazilian Air Force, known by its Portuguese acronym FAB. Saab did not give an exact delivery date in its Oct. 7 announcement, so completion of the first flight cannot be described as the start of operational service.
Saab said the aircraft will ultimately move to Anápolis Air Force Base in Goiás state and join the First Air Defence Group. The company said that unit was already operating 10 Gripen fighters when it announced the Brazilian-built jet’s maiden flight.
The distinction matters: a country may operate a fighter type before its locally manufactured airframes finish acceptance. Brazil’s existing Gripen operations and the newly tested production aircraft therefore represent related but different stages of the programme.
FAQ: Brazil-built Gripen E fighter
When did the first Brazil-built Gripen E fly?
Saab said it flew on October 6, 2026, from Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto aerodrome.
Who flew the first Brazil-produced Gripen fighter?
Saab identified its chief test pilot Jakob Högberg as the pilot.
Has the Brazilian Air Force received this aircraft?
Not yet. Saab said acceptance testing and certification will take place before delivery.
Looking Ahead
The next milestones are completion of acceptance flights, certification and a confirmed handover date. Saab has not supplied a calendar for those steps. The transfer to Anápolis will be a separate event from the successful first production flight.
Sources
